Ceiling support construction and methods

ABSTRACT

A ceiling construction and method for supporting an upper level of structure using sandwich panels having insulative cores. The ceiling construction has a lower level wall sandwich panel and an upper level wall sandwich panel, each of which with two outer layers and a core separating the outer layers and an upper level wall sandwich panel. Adhered to the lower level wall sandwich panel is a beam configured to support the upper level of the structure.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to constructing buildings, andmore particularly, to a ceiling construction formed from a plurality ofadjacent sandwich panels having insulative cores and outer layers andmethods of making support beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is an increasing global demand for lower cost buildings such ashouses, warehouses and office space. The demand for lower cost buildingsis particularly strong in developing countries where economic resourcesmay be limited and natural resources and raw materials may be scarce.For example, in areas of the Middle East or Africa, conventionalbuilding materials such as cement, brick, wood or steel may not bereadily available or, if available, may be very expensive. In otherareas of the world, poverty may make it too costly for people to buildhouses or other buildings with conventional materials.

The demand for lower-cost housing also is high in areas afflicted by waror natural disasters, such as hurricanes, tornados, floods, and thelike. These devastating events often lead to widespread destruction oflarge numbers of buildings and houses, especially when they occur indensely populated regions. The rebuilding of areas affected by theseevents can cause substantial strain on the supply chain for rawmaterials, making them difficult or even impossible to obtain.Furthermore, natural disasters often recur and affect the same areas. Ifa destroyed building is rebuilt using the same conventional materials,it stands to reason that the building may be destroyed or damaged againduring a similar event.

It is generally desirable to increase speed of construction and tominimize construction costs. Prefabricated or preassembled componentscan streamline production and reduce both the time and the cost ofbuilding construction. Prefabricated buildings, however, are made fromconventional materials that may be scarce or expensive to obtain. Thus,there exists a need for alternative materials and techniques forconstructing buildings that use advanced material technologies toincrease the speed of construction and also reduce or lower theownership costs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a ceiling constructionincludes a lower level wall sandwich panel having two outer layers and acore separating the outer layers; an upper level wall sandwich panelabove the lower level wall sandwich panel, the upper level wall sandwichpanel having two outer layers and a core separating the outer layers; abeam adjacent to the lower level wall sandwich panel, the beam beingconfigured to support an upper level and having a top, a bottom, twominor sides, two major sides, an outer layer on each of the two majorsides, and a core between the two outer layers; and bonding materialadhering a minor side of the beam to an outer layer of the lower levelwall sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, the first wall sandwich panel may becomprised of at two sandwich panels and the upper level may be partiallysupported by at least one of the at least two sandwich panels. Inaddition, the ceiling construction may include a first U-profile wallbracket bonded to the outer layers of the lower level wall sandwichpanel and positioned between the lower level wall sandwich panel and theupper level wall sandwich panel; and a second U-profile wall bracketbonded to the outer layers of the upper level wall sandwich panel andpositioned between the upper level wall sandwich panel and the lowerlevel wall sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, the ceiling construction may furtherinclude bonding material between the first U-profile wall bracket andthe second U-profile wall bracket. Also, the first U-profile wallbracket and the second U-profile wall bracket may form a singleH-profile wall bracket. The distance that the first U-profile bracketextends along the outer layers of the lower level wall sandwich panelmay be at least approximately seven times the thickness of the outerlayers of the lower level wall sandwich panel.

According to another aspect, the ceiling construction may furtherinclude a U-profile beam bracket bonded to the outer layers of the beamand positioned between the beam and the upper level. Also, the outerlayers of the lower level wall sandwich panel may extend beyond the topof the core of the lower wall sandwich panel, and the outer layers ofthe upper level wall sandwich panel may extend beyond the bottom of theupper level wall sandwich panel, and the space created between the coreof the lower level wall sandwich panel and the core of the upper levelwall sandwich panel may be filled with bonding material.

According to another aspect of the invention, the outer layers of thelower level wall sandwich panel extend beyond the top of the core of thelower wall sandwich panel a distance that is at least approximatelyseven times the thickness of the outer layers of the lower level wallsandwich panel.

According to another aspect of the invention, the ceiling constructionincludes a second lower level wall sandwich panel below the lower levelwall sandwich panel. In addition, the ceiling construction may furtherinclude a third U-profile wall bracket bonded to the outer layers of thelower level wall sandwich panel and positioned between the lower levelwall sandwich panel and the second lower level wall sandwich panel; anda fourth U-profile wall bracket bonded to the outer layers of the secondlower level wall sandwich panel and positioned between the second lowerlevel wall sandwich panel and the lower level wall sandwich panel.

Also, the outer layers of the lower level wall sandwich panel may extendbeyond the bottom of the core of the lower wall sandwich panel and theouter layers of the second lower level wall sandwich panel may extendbeyond the top of the second lower level wall sandwich panel, and thespace created between the core of the lower level wall sandwich paneland the core of the upper level wall sandwich panel may be filled withbonding material.

According to another aspect, the distance from top to bottom of thelower level sandwich panel may be approximately the same as the distancefrom top to bottom of the beam. In addition, the distance from the topto the bottom of the beam may range from approximately 200 mm toapproximately 600 mm. The beam may also be a single sandwich panel orinclude multiple sandwich panels arranged side by side, each sandwichpanel having two outer layers and a core separating the outer layers.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method for forming aceiling construction from a plurality of panels includes: placing anupper level wall sandwich panel having two outer layers and a coreseparating the outer layers above a lower level wall sandwich panelhaving two outer layers and a core separating the outer layers; fixingthe upper level wall sandwich panel with respect to the lower level wallsandwich panel; placing a beam adjacent to the lower level wall sandwichpanel, the beam having a top, a bottom, two minor sides, two majorsides, an outer layer on each of the two major sides, and a core betweenthe two outer layers; adhering a minor side of the beam to an outerlayer of the lower level wall sandwich panel using bonding material; andplacing a second level adjacent the upper level wall sandwich panel suchthat the second level is at least partially supported by the beam.

In addition, the opposing minor side of the beam may be adhered toanother lower level wall sandwich panel. Also, a U-profile wall bracketmay be placed between the beam and the second level.

According to another aspect of the invention, the beam is above groundlevel and may be maintained above ground level primarily by bondingmaterial at the minor sides of the beam. The method may also includeplacing the lower level wall sandwich panel above a second lower levelwall sandwich panel having two outer layers and a core separating theouter layers; and fixing the lower level wall sandwich panel withrespect to the second lower level wall sandwich panel.

These and further features of the present invention will be apparentwith reference to the following description and attached drawings. Inthe description and drawings, particular embodiments of the inventionhave been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways inwhich the principles of the invention may be employed, but it isunderstood that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope.Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications andequivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the claims appendedhereto.

It should be emphasized that the term “comprises/comprising” when usedin this specification is taken to specify the presence of statedfeatures, integers, steps or components but does not preclude thepresence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps,components or groups thereof. In addition, features that are describedand/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in thesame way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or incombination with, or instead of, the features of the other embodiments.

In the detailed description that follows, like components have beengiven the same reference numerals regardless of whether they are shownin different embodiments of the invention. To illustrate the presentinvention in a clear and concise manner, the drawings may notnecessarily be to scale and certain features may be shown in somewhatschematic form. Certain terminology is used herein to describe thedifferent embodiments of the invention. Such terminology is used forconvenience when referring to the figures. For example, “upward,”“downward,” “above,” “below,” “left,” or “right” merely describedirections in the configurations shown in the figures. Similarly, theterms “interior” and exterior” or “inner” and “outer” may be used forconvenience to describe the orientation of the components in thefigures. The components can be oriented in any direction and theterminology should therefore be interpreted to include such variations.The dimensions provided herein are exemplary and are not intended to belimiting in scope. Furthermore, while described primarily with respectto house construction, it will be appreciated that the conceptsdescribed herein are equally applicable to the construction of any typeof structure or building, such as warehouses, commercial buildings,factories, apartments, etc.

The present invention provides an alternative to conventionalconstruction materials and techniques. Buildings, such as houses,commercial buildings, warehouses, or other structures can be constructedby composite sandwich panels (also referred to as “sandwich panels” or“composite panels”), which have an insulative core and one or more outerlayers. The buildings can be constructed by gluing several sandwichpanels together. Traditional fasteners, such as screws, rivets, nails,etc., are usually not needed for such connections. Generally, compositesandwich panels offer a greater strength-to-weight ratio thantraditional materials that are used by the building industry. Thecomposite sandwich panels are generally as strong as, or stronger than,traditional materials including wood-based and steel-based structuralinsulation panels, while being lighter in weight. Because they weighless than traditional building materials, the handling and transport ofcomposite sandwich panels is generally less expensive. The compositesandwich panels also can be used to produce light-weight structures,such as floating houses, mobile homes, or travel trailers, etc.

Sandwich panels generally are more elastic or flexible than conventionalmaterials such as wood, concrete, steel or brick and, therefore,monolithic (e.g., unitary or single unit structure) buildings made fromsandwich panels generally are more durable than buildings made fromconventional materials. For example, sandwich panels also may benon-flammable, waterproof, very strong and durable, and in some cases,able to resist hurricane-force winds (up to 300 Kph (kilometers perhour) or more). The sandwich panels also may be resistant to thedetrimental effects of algae, fungicides, water, and osmosis. As aresult, buildings constructed from sandwich panels may be better able towithstand earthquakes, floods, tornados, hurricanes, fires and othernatural disasters than buildings constructed from conventionalmaterials.

The structures described herein are built with composite materials, suchas composite panels (also referred to as “sandwich panels” or “panels”).Panels, which may be formed from synthetic materials, provide alight-weight and potentially less expensive alternative to conventionalraw materials, e.g., wood, concrete, metal, etc. Panels are usuallyconnected or joined together with a high-strength bonding material, suchas epoxy or glue, and conventional materials, such as nails and screws,are not usually needed. The result is a strong and durable monolithicstructure, as described further below.

Sandwich panel structures may be less expensive to build than structuresbuilt from conventional materials because of reduced material costs andalternative construction techniques. The ownership and maintenance costsfor sandwich panel structures also may be less over the long termbecause sandwich panel structures may last longer and degrade at aslower rate than buildings made from conventional materials. Structuresbuilt from sandwich panels therefore may require less maintenance andupkeep than structures built from conventional building materials, whichmay reduce the overall ownership costs for end users.

The insulative core of the sandwich panels also may reduce the amount ofenergy needed to heat and/or cool the building, which may reduce theoverall costs to operate the building. The insulative core also mayreduce or eliminate the need for additional insulation in the building,as may be necessary to insulate structures built from conventionalbuilding materials. Sandwich panel structures therefore may be lessexpensive to build and operate than buildings constructed fromconventional building materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary environmental view of an exemplary monolithicstructure built with composite materials;

FIG. 2A-B are schematic sectional and perspective views of an exemplaryceiling construction;

FIG. 3A-B are schematic sectional and perspective views of anotherexemplary ceiling construction;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a sandwich panel;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view of two verticalsandwich panels connected together with U-profile brackets;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view of two vertical closededge sandwich panels connected together;

FIG. 7A is a fragmentary schematic top sectional view of an edge portionof an exemplary sandwich panel;

FIG. 7B is a fragmentary schematic top sectional view of the edgeportion of the sandwich panel of FIG. 7A with a portion of the coreremoved;

FIG. 7C is a fragmentary schematic top sectional view of the edgeportion of the sandwich panel of FIG. 7A with a closed edge; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary schematic top sectional view of the edge portionof the sandwich panel with U-profile bracket closed edge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a novel ceiling construction and anovel method for forming a ceiling construction. The ceilingconstruction makes use of the advantages of sandwich panels withinsulative cores to provide support for a ceiling or level of astructure. More specifically, the present invention involves using oneor more sandwich panels as walls on a lower level of a structure andadhering a beam to the lower level sandwich panel(s). The beam may alsobe sandwich panel having a structure similar to the sandwich panelwalls. Once adhered, the beam is capable of providing support for aceiling or additional level of a structure above the lower level.

Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary monolithic structure 10, for example,a house, is built from a number of sandwich panels that are connectedtogether with bonding material. A front wall 10 f of the house 10 isformed from sandwich panels 11-16. A side wall 10 s of the house 10 isformed from sandwich panels 20-23. The sandwich panels are connectedtogether with bonding material to form a number of multi-panel wallsegments, which are connected together to form the walls 10 f, 10 s.

The house 10 includes a top portion 10 t and a bottom portion 10 b. Thetop portion 10 t of the front wall 10 f of the house includes amulti-panel wall segment formed by connecting sandwich panel 13 andsandwich panel 14 together. The top portion 10 t of the side wall 10 sincludes a multi-panel wall segment formed by connecting sandwich panel22 and sandwich panel 23 together.

The top portion 10 t of the house 10 is supported by the bottom portion10 b of the house 10. The bottom portion 10 b may be a double wide wallsegment that is used to support the top portion 10 t. The bottom portion10 b of the side wall 10 s may include a number of multi-panel wallsegments connected together by a joint 24 a. As shown in the cut-awayportion 25 of FIG. 1, the double wide wall segment can be used tosupport a floor 26 and/or other top portion 10 t of the house 10, e.g.,a ceiling to the lower level. The double wide wall segment includes anouter multi-panel wall segment 30 connected to an inner multi-panel wallsegment 31. In addition, a beam 28 may also be used to support a floor26 and/or other top portion 10 t of the house 10.

Exemplary panels and methods for forming a monolithic structure, such asthe monolithic structure 10, are disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No.12/101,620, filed Apr. 11, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporatedby reference herein.

The sandwich panels, for example, sandwich panels 11-16, may beprefabricated and prepared for installation by cutting the panels tocreate openings 41, for installing windows, doors, and the like. Thesandwich panels typically are manufactured in a rectangular shape, butit will be appreciated that the panels may be manufactured inalternative shapes, as may be desired. While a solid rectangular panelis suitable for solid walls (e.g., the wall formed from the connectionof sandwich panels 11 and 12 in FIG. 1), further processing is necessaryif openings 41 for windows and doors or other elements are desired. Thisfurther processing may be performed at a manufacturing facility or at aconstruction site.

The sandwich panel 11, for example, may be customized by cutting andremoving a portion of the panel 11 to form an opening 41 for a door. Thedoor opening 41 may be cut to any desired size to accommodate theinstallation of any size door. Similarly, a portion of the panel 12 canbe cut and removed to form an opening 41 for a doorway. Also, a topportion of panels 13 or 14 may be removed for installation of an angledeave portion of the roof 40. It will be appreciated that the panel canbe customized in any manner desired to meet the specifications of anarchitectural or design plan. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the panel13 includes several window openings 41 and no door opening, while panels20-23 are solid walls. The sandwich panels also may be cut in otherdesigns to accommodate other roof, wall, etc., arrangements. It alsowill be appreciated that while the windows, door and roof are describedas being cut from a solid sandwich panel, the openings may be molded orotherwise formed in the panel.

Turning next to FIGS. 2A-B a ceiling construction 42 having multiplecomposite panels is illustrated. The ceiling construction 42 supports anupper level, such as upper level 44 above a lower level, such as lowerlevel 46. Generally, the ceiling construction includes a lower levelwall sandwich panel 48 having two outer layers 50 a-b and a core 52separating the outer layers 50 a-b. The ceiling construction 42 alsoincludes an upper level wall sandwich panel 54 above the lower levelwall sandwich panel 48. The upper level wall sandwich panel 54 also hastwo outer layers 56 a-b and a core 58 separating the outer layers.Adjacent to the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 is a beam 60 that isconfigured to support the upper level 44. The beam 60 has a top 62, abottom 64, two minor sides 66 and 68, and two major sides 70 and 72. Thebeam 60 may also include an outer layer 74 a on the first major side 70,an outer layer 74 b on the second major side 72 and a core 78 disposedbetween the outer layers 74 a-b.

In addition, the beam 60 may have a lower support 80 on the bottom 64and may also have an upper support 82. The lower support 80 and uppersupport 82 may each be formed from multiple layers of compositematerials. For example, the lower support 80 and/or the upper support 82may be formed from the same material as the outer layers 50 a-b or 56a-b. In addition, the lower support 80 and/or the upper support 82 maybe about 3 to 10 times as thick as the outer layers 50 a-b or 56 a-b. Inaddition, bonding material may be used to adhere the upper support 82 tolevel 44. The materials used to make the beam 60 are described in detailwith respect to FIG. 4.

The lower support 80 and/or upper support 82 may also be a U-profilebracket, such as the U-profile bracket 82. The U-profile bracket 82includes two side walls 84 and 86 connected to one another by a supportwall 88. Optionally, the side walls 84 and 86 may be adhered to theouter layers 74 a-b by bonding material. The U-profile bracket supportwall 88 may also be adhered to the top 62 of the beam. In addition, thetop 62 of the beam 60 or the U-profile bracket support wall 88 may bebonded to the upper level 44. The distance that the side walls 84 and 86of the U-profile bracket 82 extend along the outer layers 74 a-b of thebeam 60 may vary. In one embodiment, the distance that the side walls 84and 86 of the U-profile bracket 82 extend along the outer layers 74 a-bof the beam 60 is at least approximately seven times the thickness ofthe outer layers 74 a-b of the beam 60. For example, the length of theside walls 84 and 86 may be approximately 40 mm or more. The materialsused to make the U-profile bracket 82 are described in detail withrespect to FIG. 8.

In addition, the beam 60 may be formed from multiple sandwich panels,such as the beams described in U.S. Application Ser. No. 61/103,379,filed Oct. 7, 2008, the entirety of which is incorporated by referenceherein. To provide support for the upper level 44, the beam 60 may beadhered to the lower level wall sandwich panel 48. More specifically,the minor side 66 of the beam 60 may be adhered to the outer layer 50 aof the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 using bonding material 67.

The beam 60 and layers 74 a-b may vary in size, e.g., height, width andthickness to provide greater support when desired. In a typicalapplication, the beam 60 ranges from approximately 200 mm toapproximately 600 mm in height. The lower level wall sandwich panel 48may also be approximately the same height as the beam 60. In such anembodiment, there is preferably a second lower level wall sandwich panelbelow the lower level wall sandwich panel 48. Like the lower level wallsandwich panel 48, the second lower level wall sandwich panel 90 mayhave two outer layers 92 a-b and a core 94 separating the outer layers92 a-b.

As shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 is joinedto the upper level wall sandwich panel 54 with two U-profile brackets 96and 98. The U-profile bracket 96 includes two side walls 100 a-bconnected to one another by a support wall 102. Optionally, the sidewalls 100 a-b may be adhered to the outer layers 50 a-b by bondingmaterial. The U-profile bracket support wall 102 may also be adhered tothe top of the lower level wall sandwich panel 48. In addition, theU-profile bracket support wall 102 may be bonded to the U-profilebracket 98 using bonding material 103. In addition, the distance thatthe side walls 100 a-b of the U-profile bracket 96 extend along theouter layers 50 a-b of the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 may vary.In one embodiment, the distance that the side walls 100 a-b of theU-profile bracket 96 extend along the outer layers 50 a-b of the lowerlevel wall sandwich panel 48 is at least approximately seven times thethickness of the outer layers 50 a-b of the lower level wall sandwichpanel 48. For example, the length of the side walls 100 a-b may beapproximately 40 mm or more.

Similarly, the U-profile bracket 98 includes two side walls 104 a-bconnected to one another by a support wall 106. Optionally, the sidewalls 104 a-b may be adhered to the outer layers 56 a-b by bondingmaterial. In addition, although not required, the U-profile bracketsupport wall 106 may also be adhered to the bottom of the upper levelwall sandwich panel 54. The U-profile bracket support wall 106 may bebonded to the U-profile bracket 96 using bonding material 103. Inaddition, the distance that the side walls 104 a-b of the U-profilebracket 98 extend along the outer layers 56 a-b of the upper level wallsandwich panel 54 may vary. In one embodiment, the distance that theside walls 104 a-b of the U-profile bracket 98 extend along the outerlayers 56 a-b of the upper level wall sandwich panel 54 is at leastapproximately seven times the thickness of the outer layers 56 a-b ofthe upper level wall sandwich panel 54. For example, the length of theside walls 104 a-b may be approximately 40 mm or more. In addition, itwill be understood by those of skill in the art that U-profile brackets96 and 98 may be combined to form a single H-profile bracket. Suchcombination may be achieved by adhering the brackets together or byframing an H-profile bracket during the construction process.

Also as shown in FIGS. 2A-B, the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 isjoined to the second lower level wall sandwich panel 90 with twoU-profile brackets 108 and 110. The U-profile bracket 108 includes twoside walls 112 a-b connected to one another by a support wall 114.Optionally, the side walls 112 a-b may be adhered to the outer layers 92a-b by bonding material. In addition, although not required, theU-profile bracket support wall 114 may also be adhered to the top of thesecond lower level wall sandwich panel 90. The U-profile bracket supportwall 114 may be bonded to the U-profile bracket 110 using bondingmaterial 115. In addition, the distance that the side walls 112 a-b ofthe U-profile bracket 108 extend along the outer layers 92 a-b of thesecond lower level wall sandwich panel 90 may vary. In one embodiment,the distance that the side walls 112 a-b of the U-profile bracket 108extend along the outer layers 92 a-b of the second lower level wallsandwich panel 90 is at least approximately seven times the thickness ofthe outer layers 92 a-b of the second lower level wall sandwich panel90. For example, the length of the side walls 112 a-b may beapproximately 40 mm or more.

The U-profile bracket 110 includes two side walls 116 a-b connected toone another by a support wall 118. Optionally, the side walls 116 a-bmay be adhered to the outer layers 50 a-b by bonding material. Inaddition, although not required, the U-profile bracket support wall 118may also be adhered to the bottom of the lower level wall sandwich panel48. The U-profile bracket support wall 118 may be bonded to theU-profile bracket 108 using bonding material 115. The distance that theside walls 116 a-b of the U-profile bracket 110 extend along the outerlayers 50 a-b of the lower level wall sandwich panel 48 may vary. In oneembodiment, the distance that the side walls 116 a-b of the U-profilebracket 110 extend along the outer layers 50 a-b of the lower level wallsandwich panel 48 is at least approximately seven times the thickness ofthe outer layers 50 a-b of the lower level wall sandwich panel 48. Forexample, the length of the side walls 116 a-b may be approximately 40 mmor more. In addition, it will be understood by those of skill in the artthat U-profile brackets 108 and 110 may be combined to form a singleH-profile bracket. Such combination may be achieved by adhering thebrackets together or by framing an H-profile bracket during theconstruction process.

Turning next to FIGS. 3A-B another embodiment of a ceiling constructionhaving multiple composite panels is illustrated. The ceilingconstruction 120 supports an upper level, such as upper level 44 above alower level, such as lower level 46. Generally, the ceiling constructionincludes two lower level wall sandwich panels 48 and 122. The firstlower level wall sandwich panel 48 has two outer layers 50 a-b and acore 52 separating the outer layers 50 a-b and the additional firstlower level wall sandwich panel 122 has two outer layers 124 a-b and acore 126 separating the outer layers 124 a-b. As shown, the lower levelwall sandwich panels 48 and 122 are arranged side by side, e.g., instacked relation. In other words, the panels 48 and 122 are arrangedsuch that opposing major surfaces of the panels, i.e., the surfaces ofthe sides 50 a and 124 b of the panels 48 and 122, face one another,e.g., as shown. The panels 48 and 122 may be joined using bondingmaterial at the surfaces of the sides 50 a and 124 b.

The ceiling construction 42 also includes the upper level wall sandwichpanel 54 above the first lower level wall sandwich panel 48 and the beam60, which is adjacent to the additional first lower level wall sandwichpanel 122. The beam 60 and additional first lower level wall sandwichpanel 122 may combine to support the upper level 44. To provide supportfor the upper level 44, the beam 60 may be adhered to the additionallower level wall sandwich panel 122. More specifically, the minor side66 of the beam 60 may be adhered to the outer layer 124 a of theadditional lower level wall sandwich panel 122 using bonding material67.

As shown in FIGS. 3A-B, the lower level wall sandwich panels 48 and 122are joined to the upper level wall sandwich panel 54 with two U-profilebrackets 134 and 98. The U-profile bracket 134 includes two side walls136 a-b connected to one another by a support wall 138. Optionally, theside walls 136 a-b may be adhered to the outer layers 50 b and 124 a bybonding material. In addition, although not required, the U-profilebracket support wall 138 may also be adhered to the top of the lowerlevel wall sandwich panels 48 and 122. In addition, the U-profilebracket support wall 134 may be bonded to the U-profile bracket 98 usingbonding material 103. Also, the distance that the side walls 136 a-b ofthe U-profile bracket 134 extend along the outer layers 124 a and 50 bof the lower level wall sandwich panels 48 and 122 may vary. In oneembodiment, the distance that the side walls 136 a-b of the U-profilebracket 134 extend along the outer layers 124 a and 50 b of the lowerlevel wall sandwich panels 48 and 122 is at least approximately seventimes the thickness of the outer layers 124 a and 50 b of the lowerlevel wall sandwich panels 48 and 122.

Also as shown in FIGS. 3A-B, the ceiling construction 120 includes anadditional second lower level sandwich panel 128, which also has twoouter layers 130 a-b and a core 132 separating the outer layers 130 a-b.As shown, the second lower level wall sandwich panels 90 and 128 arearranged side by side, e.g., in stacked relation. In other words, thepanels 90 and 128 are arranged such that opposing major surfaces of thepanels, i.e., the surfaces of the sides 92 a and 130 b of the panels 90and 128, face one another, e.g., as shown. The panels 90 and 128optionally are joined using bonding material at the surfaces of thesides 92 a and 130 b. The first lower level wall sandwich panel 48 andthe additional first lower level wall sandwich panel 122 may be joinedto the second lower level wall sandwich panel 90 and the additionalsecond lower level sandwich panel 128 with two U-profile brackets, suchas brackets 142 and 144.

The U-profile bracket 142 includes two side walls 146 a-b connected toone another by a support wall 148. Optionally, the side walls 146 a-bmay be adhered to the outer layers 130 a and 92 b by bonding material.In addition, although not required, the U-profile bracket support wall148 may also be adhered to the top of the second lower level wallsandwich panel 90 and/or the additional second lower level wall sandwichpanel 128. In addition, the U-profile bracket support wall 148 may bebonded to the U-profile bracket 144 using bonding material 115. Inaddition, the distance that the side walls 146 a-b of the U-profilebracket 142 extend along the outer layers 130 a and 92 b of the secondlower level wall sandwich panels 90 and 128 may vary. In one embodiment,the distance that the side walls 146 a-b of the U-profile bracket 142extend along the outer layers 130 a and 92 b of the second lower levelwall sandwich panels 90 and 128 is at least approximately seven timesthe thickness of the outer layers outer layers 130 a and 92 b of thesecond lower level wall sandwich panels 90 and 128. For example, thelength of the side walls 146 a-b may be approximately 40 mm or more. Forinstance if the outer layers 130 a and 92 b, are approximately 2 mm(millimeters) thick, the length of the side walls 146 a-b may beapproximately 14 mm (millimeters), and may be thicker, if desired. Inaddition, the length of the side walls 146 a-b may be adjusted basedupon a desired strength or other factor. In another example, the outerlayers 130 a and 92 b may each be approximately 3 mm (millimeters)thick, the length of the side walls 146 a-b may be approximately 21 mm(millimeters) or more.

Similarly, the U-profile bracket 144 includes two side walls 150 a-bconnected to one another by a support wall 152. Optionally, the sidewalls 146 a-b may be adhered to the outer layers 124 a and 50 b bybonding material. The U-profile bracket support wall 152 may also beadhered to the bottom of the first lower level wall sandwich panel 48and/or the additional first lower level wall sandwich panel 122. TheU-profile bracket support wall 148 may be bonded to the U-profilebracket 142 using bonding material 115. In addition, the distance thatthe side walls 150 a-b of the U-profile bracket 144 extend along theouter layers 124 a and 50 b of the second lower level wall sandwichpanels 48 and 122 may vary. In one embodiment, the distance that theside walls 150 a-b of the U-profile bracket 144 extend along the outerlayers 124 a and 50 b of the second lower level wall sandwich panels 48and 122 is at least approximately seven times the thickness of the outerlayers outer layers 124 a and 50 b of the second lower level wallsandwich panels 48 and 122. For example, the length of the side walls 84and 86 may be approximately 40 mm or more. In addition, it will beunderstood by those 150 a-b of skill in the art that U-profile brackets142 and 144 may be combined to form a single H-profile bracket. Suchcombination may be achieved by adhering the brackets together.

Turning next to FIG. 4, an exemplary sandwich panel 400 is shown. Thesandwich panel 400 includes two outer layers 402 and 404 separated by acore 406. The outer layers 402 and 404 are bonded or adhered to the core406 with bonding material. The core 406 may be formed from alight-weight, insulative material, for example, polyurethane, expandedpolystyrene, polystyrene hard foam, Styrofoam® material, phenol foam, anatural foam, for example, foams made from cellulose materials, such asa cellulosic corn-based foam, or a combination of several differentmaterials. Other exemplary core materials include honeycomb that can bemade of polypropylene, non-flammable impregnated paper or othercomposite materials. It will be appreciated that these materialsinsulate the interior of the structure and also reduce the sound ornoise transmitted through the panels. The core may be any desiredthickness and may be, for example, 30 mm (millimeters)-100 mm(millimeters) thick, however, it will be appreciated that the core canbe thinner than 30 mm (millimeters) or thicker than 100 mm (millimeters)as may be desired. In one embodiment, the core is about 60 mm(millimeters) thick.

The outer layers 402 and 404 of a panel, e.g., sandwich panel 400 may bemade from composite materials that include matrix materials and filleror reinforcement material. Exemplary matrix materials include a resin ormixture of resins, e.g., epoxy resin, polyester resin, vinyl esterresin, natural (or non oil-based) resin or phenolic resin, etc.Exemplary filler or reinforcement materials include fiberglass, glassfabric, carbon fiber, or aramid fiber, etc. Other filler orreinforcement materials include, for example, one or more naturalfibers, such as, jute, coco, hemp, or elephant grass, balsa wood, orbamboo.

The outer layers 402 and 404 (also referred to as laminate) may berelatively thin with respect to the panel core 406. The outer layers 402and 404 may be several millimeters thick and, for example, may bebetween approximately 1 mm (millimeter)-12 mm (millimeters) thick;however, it will be appreciated that the outer layers can be thinnerthan 1 mm (millimeter) or thicker than 12 mm (millimeters) as may bedesired. In one embodiment, the outer layers are approximately 1-3 mm(millimeter) thick. It will be appreciated that the outer layers 402 and404 may be made thicker by layering several layers of reinforcementmaterial on top of one another. The thickness of the reinforcementmaterial also may be varied to obtain thicker outer layers 402 and 404with a single layer of reinforcement material. Further, differentreinforcement materials may be thicker than others and may be selectedbased upon the desired thickness of the outer layers.

The outer layers 402 and 404 may be adhered to the core 406 with thematrix materials, such as the resin mixture. Once cured, the outerlayers 402 and 404 of the panel 400 are firmly adhered to both sides ofthe panel core 406, forming a rigid building element. It will beappreciated that the resin mixture also may include additional agents,such as, for example, flame retardants, mold suppressants, curingagents, hardeners, etc. Coatings may be applied to the outer layers 402and 404, such as, for example, finish coats, paint, ultraviolet (UV)protectants, water protectants, etc. The outer layers 402 and 404 mayfunction to protect the core 406 from damage and may also providerigidity and support to the panel 400.

The core 406 may provide good thermal insulation properties andstructural properties. The outer layers 402 and 404 may add to thoseproperties of the core 406 and also may protect the core 406 fromdamage. The outer layers 402 and 404 also provide rigidity and supportto the sandwich panel.

The panels 400 may be any shape. In one embodiment, the panels 400 arerectangular in shape and may be several meters, or more, in height andwidth. The panels 400 also may be other shapes and sizes. Thecombination of the core 406 and outer layers 402 and 404 create panelswith high ultimate strength, which is the maximum stress the panels canwithstand, and high tensile strength, which is the maximum amount oftensile stress that the panels can withstand before failure. Thecompressive strength of the panels is such that the panels may be usedas both load bearing and non-load bearing walls. In one embodiment, thepanels have a load capacity of at least 50 tons per square meter in thevertical direction (indicated by arrows V) and 2 tons per square meterin the horizontal direction (indicated by arrows H). The panels may haveother strength characteristics as will be appreciated in the art.

Internal stiffeners may be integrated into the panel core 406 toincrease the overall stiffness of the panel 400. In one embodiment, thestiffeners are made from materials having the same thermal expansionproperties as the materials used to construct the panel, such that thestiffeners expand and contract with the rest of the panel when the panelis heated or cooled. The stiffeners may be made from the same materialused to construct the outer layers of the panel. The stiffeners also maybe made from other composite materials and may be placed perpendicularto the top and bottom of the panels and spaced, for example, atdistances of 15 cm (centimeters), 25 cm, 50 cm, or 100 cm.Alternatively, the stiffeners may be placed at different angles, such asa 45-degree angle with respect to the top and bottom of the panel, or atanother angle, as may be desired.

Referring next to FIG. 5, an exemplary connection 559 between sandwichpanels 512 and 514 is shown. Sandwich panels 512 and 514 may be the sametypes of sandwich panels illustrated in FIGS. 2A-B and 3A-B at 48, 54,90, 122 and 128. The sandwich panels 512 and 514 are connected to oneanother by bonding material 560 between two U-profile brackets 561 and562. The edge 543 of sandwich panel 512 is closed by U-profile bracket561. The U-profile bracket 561 has two side walls 563 and 564 connectedby a bottom wall 565. The U-profile bracket 561 is bonded to the outerlayers 540 and 541 by bonding material 565 and 566, such that a gap 567may be created between the edge 543 of the core 542 and the bottom wall565 of the U-profile bracket 561. It will be appreciated, however, thatthe edge 543 of the panel 514 may be in contact with the bottom wall 565of the U-profile bracket 561. The edge 548 of sandwich panel 514 isclosed in a similar manner with the U-profile bracket 562.

The U-profile bracket 562 includes two side walls 570 and 571 connectedto one another by a bottom wall 572. The side walls 570 and 571 areconnected to the outer layers 545 and 546 by bonding material 573 and574, such that a gap 575 may be formed between the edge 548 and thebottom wall 572. It will be appreciated, however, that the edge 548 ofthe panel 514 may be in contact with the bottom wall 572 of theU-profile bracket 562. As described above, the gaps 567 and 575 and thebonding material 565, 566, 573 and 574 between the outer walls 540, 541,545 and 546 of the sandwich panels 512 and 514 and the side walls 563,564, 570 and 571 of the U-profile brackets 561 and 562 generallytransfer or direct the forces in the panels to the outer layers of thepanels and generally not to the panel cores.

Although FIGS. 2A-B and 3A-B illustrate sandwich panels (e.g., 48, 54,90, 122 and 128) connected using brackets, it is also possible toconnect the sandwich panels using a straight joint without brackets.FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary non-bracket connection between panels612 and 614, which may be the same types of sandwich panels illustratedin FIGS. 2A-B and 3A-B at 48, 54, 90, 122 and 128. The sandwich panels612 and 614 generally are coplanar or coextensive with one another whenconnected edge to edge to form a straight connection 639 as shown inFIG. 6. Sandwich panel 612 includes two outer layers 640 and 641separated from one another by a core 642. The edge 643 of the sandwichpanel 612 is closed by removing a portion 644 of the core 642 andreplacing it with a bonding material. Similarly, sandwich panel 614 hastwo outer layers 645 and 646 that are separated by a core 647, and aclosed edge 648 is formed by removing a portion 649 of the core 647 andreplacing it with bonding material. The closed edges 643 and 648 of thesandwich panels are connected to one another with bonding material 650,and any forces acting between the two sandwich panels are directedtowards the outer layers of the sandwich panels and generally notthrough the panel cores.

The methods of closing the edges of the sandwich panels are described inmore detail in FIGS. 7A-C and 8.

FIG. 7A depicts a top view of an edge portion of the sandwich panel 790.As shown in FIG. 7A, an edge 793 a of the panel core 793 is generallyflush with, even with, or coplanar to edges 791 a and 792 a of the outerlayers 791 and 792. The outer layers 791 and 792 may be formed fromcomposite materials, for example, the composite materials used toconstruct the outer layers 402 and 404, as described above. The edge 793a of the panel core 793 is exposed or open and may be subject tocompression forces or damage if the panel is connected to anotherconstruction element. The panel edge, therefore, is closed to protectthe core from damage and to distribute the forces acting on the panel inthe general direction of the outer layers. It will be appreciated thatwhile the illustrated embodiment has a generally straight edge, the edgemay be jagged or shaped, for example as an “S”, or another shape.

The method of closing of the edge of the sandwich panel is illustratedin more detail in FIGS. 7B-C. With initial reference to FIG. 7B, aportion 793 a of the panel core 793 is removed from the edge 793 a ofthe panel 790. The portion 793 b removed creates a cavity or void in thepanel core 793 that is partially defined by the outer layers 791 and 792and the remaining portion of the panel core 793.

The portion 793 b removed from the core 793 extends along the outerlayers 791 and 792 from the outer layer edges 791 a and 792 a, asdesignated generally by the dimension “A” in FIG. 7B. The portion 793 bremoved from the core 793 also extends in a generally perpendiculardirection from the outer layers 791 and 792 and toward the center of thecore 793, as designated generally by the dimension “B” in FIG. 7B.

The dimensions A, B of the portion 793 b removed from the core 793 areseveral millimeters in length, and may, for example be approximately7-25 mm (millimeters) long or more. The length of dimensions A, B may beselected based upon the thicknesses of the outer layers 791 and 792according to a desired ratio. The desired ratio of the dimensions A, Bto the thickness of the outer layers 791 and 792 may be about seven toone (7:1), or more, e.g., 8:1 or an even larger ratio. For instance ifthe outer layers 791 and 792 are about 2 mm (millimeters) thick, thedimensions A, B would be at least approximately 14 mm (millimeters), andmay be thicker, if desired, or adjusted based upon a desired strength orother factor. In another example, if the outer layers 791 and 792 may be3 mm (millimeters) thick and the dimensions A, B would be at leastapproximately 21 mm (millimeters) or more.

The portion 793 b removed from the core 793 extends along the width ofthe panel 790 between the outer layers 791 and 792. The remainingportion of the core 793 forms a new edge 793 c. The new edge 793 c ofthe panel core 793, therefore, is recessed from the edges 791 a and 792a of the outer layers 791 and 792, as indicated by dimension “C” in FIG.7B. The edges 791 a and 792 a of the outer layers 791 and 792 are notcut or removed from the panel, and therefore, the edges 791 a and 792 aoverhang or extend beyond the new edge 793 c of the panel core 793 bydimension C.

The length of dimension C may be any desired length and may, forexample, be selected based upon the strength of the bonding material.The length of dimension C may be based on a desired ratio. The desiredratio of the dimension C to the thickness of the outer layers 791 and792 may be about two to one (2:1), or more, e.g., 3:1 or an even largerratio. The length of dimension C may be approximately the same as thethickness of the outer layers 791 and 792. For instance, if the outerlayers 791 and 792 are approximately 2-3 mm (millimeters) thick, thenthe new edge 793 c of the core 793 may be recessed approximately 2-3 mm(millimeters). It will be appreciated, however, the dimension C and,therefore, the amount that the new edge 793 c is recessed may be anydesired length, and may, for example, be greater or less than thethickness of the outer layers 791 and 792. More core material may beremoved for larger (e.g., thicker) outer layers or less core materialmay be removed for smaller (e.g., thinner) outer layers. It will beappreciated that the core 793 and outer layers 791 and 792 may be formedin the configuration of FIG. 7B prior to adhering the outer layers 791and 792 to the core 793, or the sandwich panel may be molded to thedesired shape.

The removal of the portion 793 b from the core 793 may leave excess orloose material in the cavity, e.g., powder or remnants from cutting orremoving the portion 793 b of the core 793 that inhibit the effect ofthe bonding material that is used to close the edge. Any of a number oftechniques can be used to remove the excess material from the cavity.For example, the remnants can be blown out of the cavity by blowing airinto the cavity and across the new edge 793 c. The air may be suppliedfrom a high pressure air source or blowing mechanism. Other mechanismsmay be used to remove the excess material from the cavity as will beappreciated by one of skill, for example, a vacuum or other device maybe used. The outer layers 791 and 792 may also to be cleaned at thecavity from remaining core material e.g. by a metal brush.

Referring now to FIG. 7C, the cavity formed by the removal of theportion 793 b from the core 793 is filled with bonding material. Thebonding material is spread to form an edge 793 a′ that generally iscoplanar with the edges 791 a and 792 a of the outer layers.

The bonding material 793 b solidifies or cures to close the edge of thepanel, resulting in a new edge 793 a′ that is generally flush with, evenwith, or substantially coplanar to the edges 791 a and 792 a of theouter layers 791 and 792. The edge of the panel, therefore, isreinforced with the bonding material and the forces acting on the panelare directed towards the outer layers 791 and 792 and generally notthrough the panel core 793, which may not have the same strength, e.g.,stiffness or rigidity to support a load on the panel, as the outerlayers.

Referring to FIG. 8, a view of a sandwich panel 790 closed with abracket 800 is provided. The bracket 800 has a U-profile and includes abottom wall 801 and two side walls 802 and 803 that are connected toform the general shape of a “U.” The edge 793 a of the sandwich panel790 is insertable into the U-profile bracket 800. The side walls 802 and803 may be spaced slightly wider than the width of the sandwich panel790 to accommodate insertion of the panel 790 and to provide a gap intowhich bonding material may be applied. For instance, the space, or gapbetween the outer layers 791 and 792 and the side walls 801 and 802 maybe about 1-3 mm (millimeters) wide. The walls 802 and 803 may be spacednearer or farther from each other for wider or narrower sandwich panels,and/or based upon a desired tolerance. For instance, if the sandwichpanel 790 is about 62 mm (millimeters) wide, the side walls 802 and 803may be spaced about 64 mm (millimeters) to 68 mm (millimeters) apart, ormore.

The U-profile bracket 800 may be made from any suitable material. Forexample, the U-profile bracket 800 could be made composite materialsthat include matrix materials and filler or reinforcement material.Exemplary matrix materials include a resin or mixture of resins, e.g.,epoxy resin, polyester resin, vinyl ester resin, natural (or nonoil-based) resin or phenolic resin, etc. Exemplary filler orreinforcement materials include fiberglass, glass fabric, carbon fiber,or aramid fiber, etc. Other filler or reinforcement materials include,for example, one or more natural fibers, such as, jute, coco, hemp, orelephant grass, balsa wood, or bamboo. In addition, the U-profilebracket could be made from other types of plastic or metal materials.

The U-profile bracket 800 may be formed from composite materials, forexample, the composite materials used to construct the outer layers 402and 404, as described above. The walls 801, 802 and 803 of the U-profilebracket 800 also may be relatively thin with respect to the panel 790,and may, for example be the same thickness as the outer layers 791 and792, or may be approximately two or three times thicker than the outerlayers 791 and 792 of the panel 790. For instance, the walls 801, 802and 803 may be several millimeters thick and may, for example, bebetween approximately 1 mm (millimeter)-12 mm (millimeters) thick,however, it will be appreciated that the outer layers can be thinnerthan 1 mm (millimeter) or thicker than 12 mm (millimeters) as may bedesired.

To close the edge of the sandwich panel 790, the edge 793 a of the core793 and the edges 791 a and 792 a of the outer layers 791 and 792 (e.g.,a first outer layer 791 and a second outer layer 792) are inserted intothe open end of the U-profile bracket 800. Bonding material 804 and 805is applied, injected or otherwise placed into the gap between the outerlayers 791 and 792 and the respective side walls 802 and 803 (e.g., afirst side wall 802 and a second sidewall 803) of the U-profile bracket800. The bonding material adheres or connects the U-profile bracket 800to the sandwich panel 790 and closes the edge 793 a of the panel 790 andalso facilitates the transfer of the forces through the U-profilebracket 800 and to the outer layers 791 and 792 when the sandwich panelis connected to another construction element. The U-profile bracket 800extends along the length of the sandwich panel and, therefore, closesthe entire edge 793 a of the panel. The U-profile bracket also may haveend walls.

The side walls 802 and 803 extend along a length of the outer layers 791and 792 as indicated generally by dimension “D.” The length of dimensionD may be based on a desired ratio. The desired ratio of the dimension Dto the thickness of the outer layers 791 and 792 may be about seven toone (7:1), or more, e.g., 8:1 or an even larger ratio. The length of theside walls 802 and 803 may be about 7 mm (millimeters) to 50 mm(millimeters) or more and may compensate for unevenness in, for example,sandwich panels with respect to one another.

The edge 793 a of the panel 790 may be spaced from the bottom wall 801of the U-profile bracket 800 to form a gap 805. The width of the gap 805may be about the same as the thickness of the outer layers 791 and 792of the sandwich panel 790, and may, for example, be about 1-3 mm(millimeters). It will be appreciated that a larger or smaller gap 805may be selected based upon the size of the sandwich panel 790 and/or thesize of the U-profile bracket 800 or other criteria. As indicated above,the gap 805 may be zero, e.g., the edge 793 a may be in contact with thebottom wall 801 and may be substantially free from bonding material.

The gap 805 is generally free from bonding material and the edge 793 aand the bottom wall 801 are spaced from one another, which facilitatesthe transfer of the forces acting on the panel 790 to the outer layers791 and 792 and minimizes transfer of forces through the panel core 793.The bottom wall 801 also provides a surface for connecting the sandwichpanel 790 to another construction element, such as bracket as describedabove.

It will be appreciated that each edge 793 a of the sandwich panel 790may be closed using either of the methods described above, e.g., byremoving a portion of the panel core and filling the resulting cavitywith a boding material or by a U-profile bracket at each edge. Forinstance, if the sandwich panel is rectangular, any or all of the fouredges of the panel can be closed as described above.

As described above with respect to FIGS. 2-9, the bonding material(e.g., 67, 103, 115, etc.) connecting the respective constructionelements together may be a layer that is approximately 1-5 mm(millimeters) thick, or more. In addition, the layer of bonding material67, for example, may be thicker than the layers of bonding material 103and 115. It will be appreciated, however, that thicker or thinneramounts bonding material may be selected as desirable. The bondingmaterial may be more flexible than the sandwich panels, and may be, forexample, four or five times more flexible than the panels. Theflexibility of the bonding material, therefore, reduces the likelihoodthan the panels of the monolithic structure will break or split apart,and also transfers loads from one panel to another and towards the outerlayers each respective panel.

The bonding material may be any suitable bonding material such as epoxy,epoxy resin, glue, adhesive, adhering material or another bondingmaterial (these terms may be used interchangeably and equivalentlyherein). The bonding material may be a glass fiber reinforced epoxy andmay have the same general thermal expansion characteristics as thematerials used to construct the sandwich panel. The bonding material mayinclude filling components, such as, fiberglass or a fiberglass andresin mixture, and may be, for example, microfiber and Aerosil®.

It also will be appreciated that while FIGS. 2A-B and 3A-B depictmultiple separate U-profile brackets (e.g., 96 and 98, 108 and 110, and142 and 144) that may be combined to form single brackets in the form ofan “H.” In such an embodiment, the sandwich panels may be connected toone another without the bonding material 103 or 115 between the twoU-profile brackets.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to acertain preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious thatequivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled inthe art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and theannexed drawings.

While the present invention has been described in association withexemplary embodiments, the described embodiments are to be considered inall respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Such other features,aspects, variations, modifications, and substitution of equivalents maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of this inventionwhich is intended to be limited only by the scope of the followingclaims. Also, it will be appreciated that features and parts illustratedin one embodiment may be used, or may be applicable, in the same or in asimilar way in other embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A ceiling construction comprising: a lower levelwall sandwich panel having two outer layers and a core separating theouter layers; an upper level wall sandwich panel above the lower levelwall sandwich panel, the upper level wall sandwich panel having twoouter layers and a core separating the outer layers; a beam adjacent tothe lower level wall sandwich panel, the beam being configured tosupport an upper level and having a top, a bottom, two minor sides, twomajor sides, an outer layer on each of the two major sides, and a corebetween the two outer layers; and bonding material adhering a minor sideof the beam to an outer layer of the lower level wall sandwich panel. 2.The ceiling construction of claim 1 wherein the first wall sandwichpanel is comprised of at least two sandwich panels and wherein the upperlevel is partially supported by at least one of the at least twosandwich panels.
 3. The ceiling construction of claim 1 furthercomprising: a first U-profile wall bracket bonded to the outer layers ofthe lower level wall sandwich panel and positioned between the lowerlevel wall sandwich panel and the upper level wall sandwich panel; and asecond U-profile wall bracket bonded to the outer layers of the upperlevel wall sandwich panel and positioned between the upper level wallsandwich panel and the lower level wall sandwich panel.
 4. The ceilingconstruction of claim 3 further comprising bonding material between thefirst U-profile wall bracket and the second U-profile wall bracket. 5.The ceiling construction of claim 3 wherein the first U-profile wallbracket and the second U-profile wall bracket form a single H-profilewall bracket.
 6. The ceiling construction of claim 3 wherein thedistance that the first U-profile bracket extends along the outer layersof the lower level wall sandwich panel is at least approximately seventimes the thickness of the outer layers of the lower level wall sandwichpanel.
 7. The ceiling construction of claim 1 further comprising aU-profile beam bracket bonded to the outer layers of the beam andpositioned between the beam and the upper level.
 8. The ceilingconstruction of claim 1 wherein outer layers of the lower level wallsandwich panel extend beyond the top of the core of the lower wallsandwich panel, wherein the outer layers of the upper level wallsandwich panel extend beyond the bottom of the upper level wall sandwichpanel, and further comprising bonding material in a space createdbetween the core of the lower level wall sandwich panel and the core ofthe upper level wall sandwich panel.
 9. The ceiling construction ofclaim 8 wherein the distance that the outer layers of the lower levelwall sandwich panel extend beyond the top of the core of the lower wallsandwich panel is at least approximately seven times the thickness ofthe outer layers of the lower level wall sandwich panel.
 10. The ceilingconstruction of claim 1 further comprising a second lower level wallsandwich panel below the lower level wall sandwich panel.
 11. Theceiling construction of claim 10 further comprising: a third U-profilewall bracket bonded to the outer layers of the lower level wall sandwichpanel and positioned between the lower level wall sandwich panel and thesecond lower level wall sandwich panel; and a fourth U-profile wallbracket bonded to the outer layers of the second lower level wallsandwich panel and positioned between the second lower level wallsandwich panel and the lower level wall sandwich panel.
 12. The ceilingconstruction of claim 10 wherein the outer layers of the lower levelwall sandwich panel extend beyond the bottom of the core of the lowerwall sandwich panel and wherein the outer layers of the second lowerlevel wall sandwich panel extend beyond the top of the second lowerlevel wall sandwich panel, and further comprising bonding material in aspace created between the core of the lower level wall sandwich paneland the core of the second lower level wall sandwich panel.
 13. Theceiling construction of claim 1 wherein the distance from top to bottomof the lower level sandwich panel is approximately the same as thedistance from top to bottom of the beam.
 14. The ceiling construction ofclaim 1 wherein the distance from the top to the bottom of the beamranges from approximately 200 mm to approximately 600 mm.
 15. Theceiling construction of claim 1 wherein the beam is a sandwich panelhaving two outer layers and a core separating the outer layers.
 16. Theceiling construction of claim 1 wherein the beam comprises multiplesandwich panels arranged side by side, each sandwich panel having twoouter layers and a core separating the outer layers.
 17. The ceilingconstruction of claim 1 wherein the lower level wall sandwich panel andthe upper level wall sandwich panel are a single wall sandwich panel,part of which is in a lower level and part of which is in an upperlevel.
 18. A method for forming a ceiling construction from a pluralityof panels comprising: placing an upper level wall sandwich panel havingtwo outer layers and a core separating the outer layers above a lowerlevel wall sandwich panel having two outer layers and a core separatingthe outer layers; fixing the upper level wall sandwich panel withrespect to the lower level wall sandwich panel; placing a beam adjacentto the lower level wall sandwich panel, the beam having a top, a bottom,two minor sides, two major sides, an outer layer on each of the twomajor sides, and a core between the two outer layers; adhering a minorside of the beam to an outer layer of the lower level wall sandwichpanel using bonding material; and placing a second level adjacent theupper level wall sandwich panel such that the second level is at leastpartially supported by the beam.
 19. The method of claim 18 furthercomprising adhering an opposing minor side of the beam to another lowerlevel wall sandwich panel.
 20. The method of claim 18 further comprisingplacing a U-profile wall bracket between the beam and the second level.21-24. (canceled)